Three

The lights went out and she could hear the MC as he started hyping the new spender. Aria felt like her head would explode from all the noise around her. It didn't help that most of the attention tonight hadn't been on the dancers but on the guys spraying money for girls to pick and those lighting bottles of expensive alcohol. As a result, the stage had not been making money.

She watched her colleagues as they made big bucks in tips for carrying caskets out and serving expensive bottles of drinks. That could have been her, Aria almost screamed. The money on the floor wasn't even up to a hundred thousand naira and it would be split four ways before she had to split again with Odogwu. She was looking at about twenty five thousand or less. Maybe forty if the man gave her the fifteen they agreed on.

At the moment, it didn't seem likely that he would because Odogwu had spent the better part of the evening scowling at them. She had been forced to actually do stunts on the pole to get his frown to lessen.

As most people forgot about her and the other dancers, she took a moment to relax and stretch her already sore muscles. As if Odogwu had been reading her thoughts, he appeared in front of them.

"This was a shit night, but it looks like my luck has finally come." He waved the girls to gather around, and even waited for the cages to be lowered so CY and Jes could join them. Her other colleague, Bliss was already with them. When the four of them were with him, Odogwu continued. "see those people over there?" He shifted his head towards the VIP seating area and the girls looked.

"Wait, doesn't that bottle cost a million naira?" Bliss asked.

"And they're buying an entire casket?" Jes' eyes widened as she stared at them.

"Yes, those guys. They want you girls to entertain them tonight," Odogwu was saying and the girls listened to them with rapt attention.

"Entertain them how?" Aria asked.

Odogwu gave her a look like she was an ignorant kid before sighing. "dance for them, make them feel good."

"How much do we get?" CY lifted an eyebrow.

"They paid four million for private shows. Fifty fifty means you girls get five hundred thousand naira each, along with whatever you already made tonight." If Odogwu's eyes got any bigger they'd pop, Aria thought.

"No," Bliss said and the three girls turned to look at her like she'd grown an extra head.

"What?" Odogwu's eyes were getting red now and he was frowning again.

"I don't agree to fifty fifty. We'll be the ones giving them a show, not you. Eighty percent and you take twenty."

The girls seemed to turn the idea in their head, realizing they had the upper hand. If they refused, Odogwu had to return the four million. Aria was sure the man had gotten more than four from the men but she kept quiet and let the other girls decide. She didn't want them to remember she was not a dancer like them and was only filling in for their colleague. If she quiet and everything worked, that money would pay her rent.

"I agree with Bliss," Jes said and CY nodded. The three girls turned to look at Aria, their expressions hidden behind their masks.

"Yes. Fifty fifty is too low," she said. Odogwu eyed her, probably about to remind her she was just a replacement.

"Oga?" One of the servers ran towards them.

"What?"

"Those guys, the ones buying the casket. They are requesting for four private rooms for the show they paid for."

Odogwu let out a loud breath and turned back to face the girls. "fine. That's eight hundred thousand each for you girls. Don't keep them waiting please. Go to their tables now and keep them busy. I'll send Kunle to get you guys when the rooms are ready," he instructed.

"Omo, today is my lucky day. I almost didn't want to come to work," Jes laughed.

"Angela would die from jealousy when she hears that the one day she skipped, we hammered!" CY was beaming.

"Girls, I don't care what you do, but no sex on my property tonight. They paid for dance and I know you might want to be generous with them. Take that shit away from my premises, yeah?"

"Yes sir," the girls chorused.

"This is not a whorehouse. If I hear or catch any of you, it's police that will handle the case. Please no videos or pictures with the guest. They're important men and don't need that type of publicity."

"Odogwu, this is not our first time," CY sighed. "we won't loose guard."

"There's a JJC." Bliss nodded in Aria's direction.

"Girls don't worry about me. I'm just happy I got this opportunity. There's no way I'm messing up this."

"How long did they pay for?" Bliss asked.

"An hour. Anything extra must be paid for. If I catch you still with them after an hour, you'll pay from your 800k."

The girls nodded and then the lights came back on. Aria turned to see the guys drinking and laughing and couldn't believe how lucky she was. These were young, handsome men from the looks of it. They were also loaded men who had unknowingly saved her from a world of headache. That alone was enough to motivate Aria.

"Let's go girls," Bliss said and led the way. The girls trooped after her, with Aria at the rear.

"Ladies, please seat. Have a drink," one of the guys called.

Aria couldn't see much since she was at the back and the other girls were taller than her. She waited for them to enter the booth and take seats opposite the men before joining them. She cringed as her bare thighs touched the cool leather of the seat beneath her and then she wiggled a little bit to warm it up.

"Are you okay? Abi the dance is already doing you?" One of the guys asked and his friends broke into laughter, except one.

"The seat is cold," she explained then turned to look at the man who wasn't laughing with his friend, instead he was staring at her.

Aria couldn't believe her luck tonight as she stared into the eyes of the man she'd ran past outside her building. There really was a God, she thought as she gave him her biggest smile.